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INTERPOL workshop prepares for launch of West Africa police information system

LYON, France – In the framework of its West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Programme, INTERPOL held the sixth a series of workshops aiming to prepare the forthcoming implementation of the police information sharing system.

The three-day meeting (26-28 June) held at the INTERPOL General Secretariat brought together representatives from the five WAPIS pilot countries (Benin, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania and Niger), the INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Abidjan, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Civi.Pol, the consultancy agency of the French Ministry of the Interior.

The workshop was opened by Lieutenant Colonel Abdourahmane Dieng, Head of the Regional Security Division of ECOWAS, who emphasized the fruitful collaboration among all the partners involved in the WAPIS.

This final workshop focused on the training needs analysis and objectives to be put in place so as to ensure that WAPIS is launched successfully and sustainably.

The participants also discussed and agreed an action plan for the coming months, which importantly will include a visit of the WAPIS management team to each pilot country to support the designated points of contact and ensure the continued support of their respective authorities.

Additionally, the workshop allowed the participants to exchange best practices and points of view from each of the different pilot countries. It concluded with the adoption of common principles for a provisional training plan, which will be further developed in the coming months.

The WAPIS Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by INTERPOL in collaboration with ECOWAS, aims to create a national and regional infrastructure for police information exchange in West Africa.